Paringa Sparkling Shiraz 2020
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Wong
Wilfred
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A deep mauve in color with a crimson hue. The nose is complex and earthy: rich leather, prunes, caramelized dates, coffee, black currant, meaty, wine gums and some toasty brown spice. These aromas are supported on the palate by red berries, plums and chocolate. The ripe fruits and chocolate mingle on the creamy palate. Saucy, savory characters add to the complexity with balanced tannins and sweetness to help round off the finish.
Best served icy cold in a flute glass. This versatile wine can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with a wide variety of dishes like: bacon & eggs for breakfast; turkey with cranberry sauce at lunch; a medium spiced curry for dinner. Then a chocolate fondue or a cheese platter for desert.
Blend: 85% Shiraz, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2020 Paringa Sparkling Shiraz is a smooth-drinking sparkling red wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of fresh grapeiness and floral notes. Enjoy it as an aperitif or with light hors d'oeurves. (Tasted: December 17, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
Other Vintages
2016-
Spectator
Wine
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Spirits
Wine &
Alan Robb Hickinbotham (David's grandfather) became a founder of the Australian wine industry almost by accident. In May of 1936, Hickinbotham established the Roseworthy Oenology course with the intent of furthering winemaking by instructing viticulturalists to use scientific research to produce better wine.
David eventually purchased 300 acres of prime vineyard land in McLaren Vale early in the 70's. There was no irrigation at that time so the vines were dry grown. This produced grapes of intense flavor that captured the distinctive character of McLaren Vale fruit.
The Paringa vineyard is set on about 1700 acres of prime Riverlands property about 150 miles northeast of Adelaide in South Australia. The rainfall in the region is quite low but the Paringa property abuts the historic River Murray so they have a convenient source of water for the vineyard's drip irrigation system. The vineyard has been planted to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, plus small sections of Chardonnay, Columbard, and Ruby Cabernet.
Yields are maintained at approximately 6 tons per acre and careful attention is paid to canopy management and irrigation technique. David Hickinbotham and winemaker Mike Farmilo both agree that the quality of the wine improves with lower yields and have made the decision to go for quality over quantity.
Made in a handful of wine regions across the globe, red sparkling wine ranges from delicately sweet to bone dry. While styles vary by region, red sparkling wine production methods are often the decision of the winemaker. For serving, cool red sparkling wine down to about 40F to 50F.
Quite the powerhouse region thanks to its proximity to the Murray River (and thus irrigation potential), Riverland produces over half of South Australia’s total annual harvest. While its warm Mediterranean climate promotes large volume production, many smaller, premium producers abound. Australia’s usual suspects—Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet—do great but a continuing local push for heat-loving Italian varieties like Vermentino and Nero d’Avola promises future diversity.